<p>As most of you know, my daughter
attends Bryn Mawr and....
Frankly, I am dumbfounded and @ a
loss for words pertaining to a campus
publication written up by a Philadelphia
online city newspaper.</p>
<p>Sure makes good conversation for this
Parent's Weekend get together.</p>
<p>Is it Art or Smut?? What do you think?</p>
<p>If the moderators on this forum delete or
edit this thread, that will tell us
what they think. It is smut.</p>
<p>Please be advised that the following
link contains full frontal nudity.<br>
Photographs of Bryn Mawr College
students.</p>
<p>MODERATOR'S NOTE: DELETION OF THE LINK DOES NOT WHATSOEVER INDICATE CC'S DETERMINATION THAT THE ARTICLE CONTAINS "SMUT". RATHER, CC'S RULES PROHIBIT LINKS TO NUDE PHOTOS. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO SUMMARIZE THE ARTICLE AND EXPLAIN THE TYPE OF PHOTO THAT WAS INCLUDED WITHIN IT. PLEASE DO NOT POST LINKS TO ANY NUDITY AS THAT IS OUR POLICY. IT IS NOT A REFLECTION ON ART VS SMUT. IT IS A BLACK AND WHITE RULE. WE DO NOT EVALUATE THE PHOTOS AND MAKE A DETERMINATION IF THEY ARE OF ARTISTIC VALUE, ARE PORN, ETC. WE JUST DO NOT ALLOW LINKS TO ANY PHOTOS OF NUDITY. YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE ARTICLE AND THE PHOTOS ADEQUATELY WITHOUT A LINK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.</p>
<p>Guess I saw the photo before the deletion of link. I'm not sure how I feel. This is a college newspaper right? I don't know that it belongs in that type of media. To me, the photo reminded me of photos in textbooks depicting body types--ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph.</p>
<p>I saw the photo. It's a liberal arts school with emphasis on liberal. In this age of Madonna-Britney-anything goes,etc, I doubt many students will label this exhibit as "smut". </p>
<p>I am pretty conservative and didn't see the whole exhibit, but the photographer's explanation was pretty convincing as to the value of her work.</p>
<p>The photos & article were not published
by the college newspaper. If you are
interested in reading the article & crtiquing
the photos do a google News search on
Bryn Mawr College and look for the title
"Paper Dolls" </p>
<p>In response to CC's deletion of the link
and their explanation for doing so...
It is a piece of art in that one can see
many things while looking at it.</p>
<p>There was an article in the NYT last spring about a mini-fad for college soft-core porn publications. There are several that have been around for 2-3 years; Bryn Mawr would seem to be a new addition.</p>
<p>Chicago has one, called Vita (a reference to the university's motto, Crescat Scientia, Vita Excolatur, roughly Let Knowledge Increase to Enhance Life, I think). I've never seen it. Reportedly (mainly from my D, who knows everyone involved) it's all very arty, though, and attempts to challenge and undermine stereotypes (including the intellectual-nerd stereotype of Chicago students, which the publication apparently undermines and reinforces in about equal measure). It is an official publication (many are not), so there is constant back and forth with the administration about what the rules are (and of course lots of attempts to go right up to the line).</p>
<p>Anyway, kids seem to like this for all the obvious reasons. The participants represent a spectrum of post-feminists, pro-sex feminists, traditional boho iconoclasts, and plain old exhibitionists (mostly men). Women are the driving force behind it, though.</p>
[quote]
Vita Excolatur, Latin for, loosely, "life enriched," is the rare smut rag with extensive footnotes.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From their Blog:
[quote]
Vita Excolatur is here to explore the sexual issues on as well as off the University of Chicago campus. By sexual issues, we do not limit ourselves to the bedroom. The ramifications of sexuality and gender expands influence on much of how we perceive, and in turn, are perceived in the world. We are eager to engage all interested parties, from republican pro-choicers to pro-Foucaultians (who would rail mightily against our magazine). Our magazine is an open forum, serving as a conduit for the greater community at large and it would be unfair and unecessary for Vita to be yet another liberal rag. We firmly believe that sex is not divorced from intellect and our magazine strives to prove that point again and again. In demonstration of your opinions, using the College's famous intellectual sophistication, we want to change how sex is perceived in a world that is increasingly sexualized, but decreasingly understood. Please burn up our e-mail link with your critical, friendly, thoughtful, and articulate opinions. We look forward to hearing from you.